Wilhelm Wundt opened the Institute for Experimental Psychology at the University of Leipzig in Germany in 1879. Wundt's background was in physiology, and this was reflected in the topics with which the Institute was concerned, such as the study of reaction times and sensory processes and attention. For example, participants would be exposed to a standard stimulus (e.g. a light or the sound of a metronome) and asked to report their sensations. Wundt's background was in physiology, and this was reflected in the topics with which the Institute was concerned, such as the study of reaction times and sensory processes and attention. For example, participants would be exposed to a standard stimulus (e.g. a light or the sound of a metronome) and asked to report their sensations. Wundt's aim was to record thoughts and sensations, and to analyze them into their constituent elements, in much the same way as chemist analyses chemical compounds, in order to get at the underlying structure. Wundt's aim was to record thoughts and sensations, and to analyze them into their constituent elements, in much the same way as chemist analyses chemical compounds, in order to get at the underlying structure. His greatest contribution was to show that psychology could be a valid experimental science. Therefore, one way Wundt contributed to the development of psychology was to do his research in carefully controlled conditions, i.e. experimental methods.Wundt concentrated on three areas of mental functioning; thoughts, images and feelings. These are the basic areas studied today in cognitive psychology.

William was born in 1842 in America went to the best schools in Britain . He wanted to be a painter but later changed and went on to study chemistry at Harvard university. He graduated from Harvard university in 1869. He was offered a job at Harvard to teach psychology in 1875. James wrote on the truth of pragamatism ‘The truth cannot be proven’. James opposed the structuralism on introspection and broke down mental events to the smallest elements. Instead, James focused on the wholeness of an event, taking into the impact of the environment on behaviour. His ideas and concepts served as the foundation for a new school of thought, which was known as functionalism. Functionalism focused on how the human behaviour works towards helping people William James (1842 – 1910) comfortably in their respective environment. Functionalists use methods like direct observation. The functionalists however stressed on the fact that consciousness is an ever-changing and more continuous process. Although functionalism is no longer considered to be a school of thought, it however did go on to influence the next generation of psychologists.

Sigmund Freud